Firstly, academic tutoring is a widely available resource, whether you are seeking a private instructor or you enlist the assistance of a free tutor through your child’s educational institution. Your options don’t end there either; choosing a peer tutor is also an excellent way to help your child learn in an environment where they can relate to their tutor and feel more at ease while learning. The benefit of peer academic tutoring is that your child won’t view the tutor as an authority figure; they will feel more comfortable conveying their difficulties and successes and they are more likely to look forward to time spent with a peer. Honor Roll high school students or college students are great choices for peer tutors.

If you are more of the mindset that you want a professional tutor for your child, there are a few things you should take into consideration. Does the tutor regularly attend teaching or tutoring courses? Research suggests that tutors, who maintain a rigorous learning schedule themselves, often produce better results in their tutees. Does this tutor encourage communication between themselves and your child’s teachers? The most successfully tutored children have been tutored in a manner that closely mirrors their regular school curriculum and whose tutor openly communicates with the child’s teachers and vice versa. Does the tutor you are considering use a structured teaching model? Having a teaching plan is essential; it’s why schools implement an approved curriculum. If, when interviewing candidates, their academic tutoring style does not have an obvious structure, map or plan, you should consider using someone who does. A structured teaching plan is not only necessary to tracking a child’s progress but it also helps the child and the parents understand what can be expected of the tutor.

Secondly, the drawbacks of academic tutoring are of a time-sensitive nature. Studies suggest that students who wait to receive academic assistance through tutoring benefit less. Therefore the sooner you begin the more effective it will be and the greater the results will be. To be more specific, waiting until you are at a college level to seek out assistance may not do much good. When you reach the post-secondary level, if you are having trouble in an area such as math, chances are your trouble derives from an earlier mistaken understanding that will be difficult to identify or remedy at this stage. Therefore the earlier you delve into academic tutoring the sooner you will remedy misconceptions and create a strong foundation to build on in future academic endeavors.

There is one area, however, where academic tutoring has proven to be incredibly successful at any stage in life or education. That is reading and comprehension. With the right guidance and instruction, people learn how to read and absorb what they are reading four times faster than if they are left to learn on their own. Reading and understanding what you’re reading is half the battle; an above average comprehension of the English language can put you ahead of the curve in many areas of education. The better you understand the question at hand, the better you will be able to formulate an intelligent response and perhaps academic tutoring is the road to get your child to that point.

Finally, there are a lot of factors to consider when deciding if academic tutoring is right for your child. Keep in mind that everyone can benefit to some degree from expanding their educational horizons. You might learn a new word, a new way of looking at things or even discover the simplicity behind something that was once a complicated mystery to you. Ask yourself if this is something that would benefit your child, if it is then you can start your academic tutoring search online immediately and find out what’s available to you in your area.

This guest post was written by Merlyn Gertel, on behalf of Score at the Top, a professional academic tutoring company, offering students all the tools needed to succeed. To know more about benefits of home schooling, you may visit About.com.